Bending Alaskan Glass | SUP Surfing a Tidal Bore in Turnagain Arm

Bending Alaskan Glass

SUP surfing the tide in Turnagain Arm

A wise man once said, “If you’re bored, you’re boring.”

That man probably wasn’t a standup paddleboarder, and almost certainly never standup paddle surfed a tidal bore. So it’s hard to imagine he anticipated the irony of his axiom, or in this case, pun, when applied to such a profound interpretation of being “bored.”

Got a moment to spare? Place yourself in the booties of one of these paddlers. Imagine partaking in the fleeting experience of standing on a paddleboard next to two good pals, surfing the smiling lips of an outcast Alaskan swell. For you, to be bored is to not only bear witness, but to harness one of earth’s most ephemeral phenomena. Like standing on the glass of Mother Nature’s very own mirror as she catches her reflection and pauses to smile, smitten in the exquisite fashion of a bluebird afternoon on Turnagain Arm. To be bored, for you, is to ride the wayward tide, to cruise along on at a patient pace, enjoying the current-shifting crest of Nature’s serendipitous, crescent-shaped smile.

Homonyms aside, those wise words ring true as can be for you who rides the tide. It’s the sense of adventure and fearless ambition the statement suggests that puts you in the magical path of that beautiful bore, never bored, on your board. It’s what makes nature not only your canvas, but your playground. It’s what makes this scene something surreal, albeit a bore. Come to think of it, that wise man just might have been a paddler, after all.

Now, toss that special spectacle in 1080 HD wide and watch it on replay until you’re bored. Then, grab your board and go get bored.